The Raw Foods Diet

            When hearing the words "raw foods diet", one would think that it is a diet composed of uncooked foods, such as taking out carrots from the fridge and eating them just like that. It actually is a diet that is made up of mostly raw fruits, vegetables, and grains(Jacobsen 1). Now, why would someone choose to go through with this diet? People believe that cooking foods rids them of their natural enzymes, which helps our bodies absorb the nutrients and digest. It is believed that eating cooked foods strains our bodies and brings us to a long road of "digestive problems, nutrient deficiency, accelerated aging, and weight gain" (Wong 1). Along with the destruction of enzymes, cooking food also destroys vitamins in most fruits and vegetables. But there are some instances that the opposite occurs, and the cooking action actually brings out the vitamins in the fruit or vegetable, like in tomatoes(Wong 2). Cooking food also kills the bacteria which can prevent food poisoning(Jacobsen 2). .
             If cooked foods are so bad, that means that this raw foods diet must be the healthiest thing out there! According to Jacobsen, the raw foods diet is known to stop allergies, headaches, improve the immune system, and help with arthritis(3). One would want to immediately try this diet after hearing about all the good effects, right? Along with all the boosts, a person is expected to lose weight on this diet because raw foods are low in calories and high in fiber, which helps it move through the digestion tract fairly fast and easily. But there are some setbacks that come with this lifestyle. Raw foods don't contain a lot of protein or iron, which are found in meat. They also lack in calcium which is found in milk and dairy products, which aren't "raw". A person on this diet would most likely have to take supplements that provide these body needs. .
             Now, the big question is, what does one exactly eat while on the raw foods diet? While on this diet, one should expect to eat mostly raw fruits, veggies, seeds, nuts, and unsprouted grains(Jacobsen 4).